Cocktail Bars in Basel
Basel's cocktail bars cook up much of what they pour, from macerated gins to seasonal menus. The best cocktail bars in Basel start at Herz on Clarastrasse, twice Bar of the Year Switzerland at the Mixology Bar Awards, whose seasonal menu turns to truffle and rosehip in autumn and to sloe and chestnut in winter. Das Werk 8 in Gundeldingen builds many of its drinks on house-made ingredients. Renée on Klingental macerates its own gins with bergamot tea, saffron and hibiscus and keeps four house falernums. Barfly pours Guinness beside more than 300 gins from around the world. Book Werk 8 online or by phone; it closes on Sundays and Mondays. These are the five we would start with.
Cocktail BarHerz
A modern cocktail bar on Clarastrasse that is also a neighborhood room, somewhere to end a day or start a night. From the counter you can see the copper still through the window, which tells you what the house cares about.
Clarastrasse 11, 4058 BaselTue-Sat 18-01Full profile- BarflyCocktail Bar
Barfly
Barfly describes itself as Basel's hidden gem, a gin bar that opened in February 2015 and has grown its collection past 338 gins, which it calls the largest selection in town. Guests who cannot choose are steered to a gin tasting board, four gins and a tonic, and there are single malts, beers and premium soft drinks for anyone not in the mood for a mixed drink. Open Tuesday to Saturday from five, in the St. Johann quarter.
St. Johanns-Vorstadt 11, 4056 BaselTue-Thu 17:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 17:00-01:00Full profile - Das Werk 8Cocktail Bar
Das Werk 8
A bar and kitchen in the Gundeldingen quarter, in a converted works building on Dornacherstrasse. It runs themed evenings and set menus alongside the drinks, so the room works as a restaurant and a bar on the same night.
Dornacherstrasse 192, 4053 BaselFull profile - Renée BarCocktail Bar
Renée Bar
Renée calls itself a bar and live venue, and lists what it is for in five words: champagne, music, drinks, wine, food. It sits on Klingental behind the barracks in Kleinbasel and runs a Culture Club program of DJ nights, seventies art rock and soul one night, synth the next, with the bar open until three on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and until midnight the rest of the week.
Klingental 18, 4058 BaselSun-Wed 17:00-00:00, Thu-Sat 17:00-03:00Full profile 
Temporarily closedCocktail BarBaltazar
A cocktail bar on Steinenbachgaesslein, in the lanes behind the Steinenvorstadt. Closed since 1 June 2026 while the building is renovated and the bar takes the chance to refit; the house says it expects to reopen.
Steinenbachgaesslein 34, 4051 BaselFull profile
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More of Basel
These are the cocktail bars specifically. The full Basel guide ranks the best bars of every style, and the directory lists all 7 with a map and filters.
